Berwyn Resident Independence Coalition
Resident Based Council-Manager Government
BRIC
Case Study Number 3
Why Council-Manager Government Is
Berwyn's
LAST BEST HOPE
Or They Are Out Of A Job.
That's The Way Things Work Around Here"
Professional Independently Managed Government.
With New Professional Management
Productivity On The Rise
ENDORSED PROPOSALThe Management Of The Berwyn Public Works Department
A Major Victory For Berwyn Residents
A BRIC endorsed proposal passed by the Berwyn City Council on August 14, 2007 will create, for the first time in the history of Berwyn, a structure of professional
management at the Berwyn Public Works Department.With the full support of Mayor O'Connor and Public Works Director Pat Ryan as well as the quiet support of a surprising number of employees at the Berwyn Public Works Department, The Berwyn City Council passed the measure in a close and contentious 4-3 vote with Aldermen Lovero, Chapman and Skryd voting against change.
Here’s the core of the matter.
In a commercial business, wage and contract negotiations between labor
and management are negotiations between parties having competing interests.
Labor unions want as much as they can get for their working members while
management focuses on protecting the interests of the company and its
shareholders. If members of management are also members of the union, there would be
no competing interests. This is why members of management in the private sector
are never union members.City government is a unique business because its revenues are not
generated by profits made from the sale of goods and services in a free market.
The cost of operating city government is paid for through the government’s power to
confiscate money earned by the city’s residents through the power to tax.My approach to government is based on the following premise. City
governments are businesses owned by the taxpayers who are its shareholders and
customers. The management of the city business is elected every four years. We
in turn are responsible for hiring competent management and labor to meet the
needs of the shareholders and customers in a time and cost efficient manner.Strangely enough, in this city’s history, no one remembers when the
people appointed to manage the affairs of the city were not union members.
Historically the Director of Public Works and his supervisors have been union
members. Even the "elected management" has often assumed the role of union
steward. Berwyn’s shareholders were not represented. I believe this explains the
unusually attractive contracts and salaries established during previous administrations.Having been raised in a union family and having lived in a number of small
rural communities, I know the importance and the value of unions. Unions have
played a crucial role in my life and throughout the history of our country in
establishing fair wage and workplace policies in America. I know and respect the
value and importance of unions.However, in fairness to the city’s shareholders, as much as I personally
like senior union employees over at the public works department, no one can deny
that the failure to separate labor and management with a layer of non-union supervisors
effectively installs the fox as the manager of the hen house. The truth is that, for
at least a decade, the shareholders of this city have been held captive a by a structure
that did not provide an effective balance between the competing interests of labor and
management.For those of us who are interested in building professional management
into the structure of Berwyn’s city government BRIC
professional management at any level is a significant step forward to help assure
a fair return on the taxpayers’ “investment”. Employee union members will no
longer be negotiating with employee union members to determine their own salaries and
benefits.I think this level of professional management deserves a chance. I am
therefore proposing that we add this layer of professional management to this
important city department and that we proceed to hire as soon as possible
superintendents for both the water and street departments who will report directly
to the Director of Public Works.Once installed, I expect to see vast improvements in the performance of
services of the Public Works Department which will benefit Berwyn residents by
bringing city services to their door-step in a more timely and cost efficient
manner.
Author's Note: To date, due to budget considerations, the
responsible
decision was to hire only one of the two proposed
managers. However, the gentleman hired has broad
experience where these positions are concerned and
benefits, in terms of professional services, are already
accruing to the Berwyn resident and taxpayer.
A "For Instance" - Twenty Years Of Neglect
An examination of the record indicates that tree
trimming in the city, like maintenance of our public
sidewalks, has been neglected for over 20 years.
With the newly installed professional management
tier at the public works department, an aggressive
catch-up program has been initiated. Obviously it
will not be accomplished over-night, but a great deal
of attention has been given to the 8th ward and
much more attention is on its way. This is the first
time in over 50 years that the Berwyn Public Works
Department is under professional management.
Once the 20 years of neglect has been repaired, a
city-wide schedule to meet tree trimming needs will
be put in place to maintain the city’s trees on a
regular basis.
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For The Sake Of Brevity I
Excluded The Following
Introduction From The Presentation
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Some time ago I had expressed interest in taking a close and objective
look at the structure of the public
works department in the interest of identifying the need for supervisory personnel. Recently I was given that
opportunity.
Over the past several weeks I have devoted numerous hours to the project and want to share with you the
basis for my conclusion that
we should hire supervisors for both the street and water departments. Due to the
potential for confusion and misunderstanding regarding this proposal and due to
other perceptions beyond my
control, I feel obligated to offer this explanation.
In the process of examining the issues, I was surprised to discover that
a majority of union members have
absolutely no objection to this
proposal. A surprising number of them believe that it is sorely needed and long
overdue.
The majority of union members and city employees simply want to do an honest days
work for an
honest days pay. Equally important of course is the fact that we
found the money within the current Public Works
budget to pay
the costs of employing the supervisors.
Memorandum
Addendum/Transcript 7-24-07
Professional Management Communication
8th Ward Alderman Joel Erickson
Motion Passing August 14, 2007
Respectfully yours,
Joel Erickson
v